Foreign relief orgs meet secretly with Assad regime

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Two major relief organizations, pledged to provide "full clarification" about the rumors that has been recently circulated about their officials' meeting with representatives of the regime.

The Syrian-American Medical Association (SAMS) and the Union of Medical Relief Organizations (OSSOM) reported that their position on "the registration and the work in Damascus is very clear and has not changed, and there is no intention of the two organizations to change their positions as long as the security situation and the condition of restricting freedom of humanitarian and civil action located in Damascus" according to a brief statement published by the two groups on Wednesday.

The statement goes "We are working across the border and in neighboring countries, committed to our humanitarian principles and approach, which we have not and will not deviate from it" they pledge to publish a full explanatory statement "on the meeting and its circumstances and all that was written in the report" by the end of this Wednesday.

Activists of several non-governmental organizations concerned with the relief of Syrians, were reported about their meeting with the representatives of the "Syrian Red Crescent" of the regime, and their coordinating with them, which was considered according to these activists normalization with the criminal regime that is involved in the killing and displacement of Syrians by organizations whose main function is supposed to be saving these people.

The circulating copy of the report, reveals that a meeting was held on 29 August 2018 between the director of the Syrian Red Crescent, Khaled Haboutati, and the representatives of 4 NGOs, Afaq, Maram, Usom and Sams.

The report reveals the aim of the meeting, which was a request to license the four NGOs in the regions under the regime. The regime agreed on granting them the license, on a condition; to share their database, including all the names and information with the regime. Which consequences on the people is to be serious.

There were controversy surrounding the circulation rumors about the meeting, until the the official statement of "Sams" and "Usom" confirmed that the meeting has occurred, but promised to explain "the circumstances"

Zaman Al Wasl